Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



BARBER @L REINFRIED. *t BreechLoading Fire-Arm.

No. 23.2.24A Patented Mar. 15, 1859.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JOS. BARBER AND P. O. REINFRIED, OF BRIDESBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 23,224, dated March 15,1859.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOSEPH BARBER and PETER C. REINERIED, ofBridesburg, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsyl- Vania,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Breech-Loading Fire-Arms,and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription ot' the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, making part of this specilication, in Which- Figure l is alongitudinal section of the Stock, breech, and part ofthe barrel ot'arifle with our improvement. Fig. 2 is a bottom view ofthe same. Fig. 3is a transverse section in the line x x of Figs. l and 2.

Similar letters of reference denote like parts in the several figures.

To enable others to make and use our invention, We will now proceed todescribe its construction and operation.

A is the stock of the rilie.

B is a'metal breech-supporter, into which the barrel C is screwed, andwhich is made with a cavity to receive the chambered breech D, which isattached at its rear by a hingejoint, a, and which iits to the barrelwith an oblique or wedge-likejoint, as shown at b b.

c is a beveled catch on the under side of the chambered breech D, formedof the same piece of metal with said breech, or made in a separatepiece, and firmly secured thereto. An opening, e, is made in the bottomof the breech-supporter B, for said catch c to passthrough into acavity, f, provided in the stock uniler the breech-supporter. j is thesliding bolt, consisting of a iiat piece of steel or other metalattached to the bottom of the breechsupporter B vby a slot-and-screwconnection, h i, which permits it to slide back and forth within thecavity f, for the purpose of entering and being withdrawn from the catchc, to lock and unlock the breech. This bolt is connected by a pin, g,which passes through a slot, n, in the bottom of the stock, with thefront end of a trigger-guard, E, which is made of tempered steel orother suitable metal to constitute a spring to force forward the boltintov the catch c, to lock the breech when the latter is closed. Thesame pin, g, serves to connect the bolt with the rear extremity of thetoggle 7c k, the front end ofwhich is connected with the stock by a pinor screw, l, the said toggle being arranged to work laterally to thebarrel close under the stock, and being furnished with a knob, my at itsjoint, to serveas abearing for the thumb or linger to press itlatermuzzle to a convenient position i'or loading,

said spring being secured to the bottom of the breech and resting, whenthe breech is closed, upon the bottom ofthe breech-supporter.

To open the breech for loading, it is only necessary to press laterallyupon the joint of the toggle in a direction to straighten it withsuiii-cient force to overcome the pressure of the spring E and forceback the sliding boltj out of the catch c, when the spring s instantlythrows up the breech to about the position represented in red outline.To close and lock the breech, it is only necessary to press itdownsufticiently hard into the breech-supporter, by which act the bevelon the back of the catch c, coming in contact with the front end ofthesliding bolt, is caused to force back said bolt till the notch in thecatch arrives opposite the bolt and permits the latter to be thrownforward into it.

Vhat we claim as our invention, and desire by Letters Patent, is-

The arrangement and combination of the spring trigger-guard E, pin g,toggles kk, sliding bolt j, and catch c, substantially as and for thepurpose herein shown and described.

JOSEPH BARBER. PETER C. REINFRIED.

Witnesses:

GEORGE ERHER, J oHN W. WARREN.

